The British outfit's engineering director Paddy Lowe said on Wednesday that with track testing banned, it is during the three hours of Friday practice at grands prix that a lot of development for current and future components takes place.

The McLaren team has admitted it is surprised that Ferrari ceased developing its 2009 car.

The British outfit's engineering director Paddy Lowe said on Wednesday that with track testing banned, it is during the three hours of Friday practice at grands prix that a lot of development for current and future components takes place.

Departing Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen said this week he is hoping for a podium in Brazil but "every race things are more and more difficult for us because the other teams continue improving their cars".

The Finn said the F60 has now remained the same "for a couple of months".

"It has struck me from the outset as quite a strange policy to announce because in formula one development is continuous, particularly without track testing," Lowe said during McLaren's pre-race teleconference.

He admitted that eventually work on this season's MP4-24 will cease altogether, with the focus to tip in the direction of the 2010 package, but that new parts are still being added to the existing car.

"We are nearing the end of that migration, and it is slightly surprising for Ferrari to announce that they've shifted 100 per cent so early," said Lowe.